Solar cookers soldSales of solar and energy-saving cookers

Unit sales have continuously risen since we commenced our activities in 2001. Up to 2009, we only sold solar cookers. They need no wood.

Sales of energy-saving ovensIn 2010 we launched efficient cookers, which use either wood or charcoal but which require no changes to cooking habits.

Since then, the sales of cookers has dramatically increased, whereby the sales of solar cookers has declined.

Numbers of students and teachersEnvironmental schooling

ADES provides multi-module environmental training in primary and secondary schools, which is appropriately adapted to the different age groups. By the end of 2016, we had sensitised 5.000 teaching staff and over 49.000 students to environmental issues and, in particular, to clean and energy-efficient cooking.

We have also educated teachers in 500 schools to a point that they are themselves able to handle environmental subjects.

The team in SwitzerlandThe team in Switzerland

Number and productivity of volunteersVolunteers

Some 80 volunteers provide ADES with significant support. They work some 3.000 hours on an honorary basis. This is worth about CHF 150.000. ADES is financed by 52 members and countless loyal donors.

Impact on the environment, climate and health

EnvironmentSales of solar and energy-saving cookers since 2001 have saved some 1500m2 of forest. That is about the surface area of canton of Lucerne. For every cooker which ADES delivers, it arranges for two young trees to be planted and cultivated. By the end of 2017, 339.000 trees had been planted and cared for.

ClimateEvery ADES cooker saves 3 tonnes of CO2 per annum. In 2016 this amounted to 235.000 tonnes, which equivalent to the annual CO2 emissions of the Swiss army. The daily usage of the two cooker types had saved a total of 1.380.000 tonnes of CO2 by the end of 2017, a figure which is verified annually against the Gold Standard.

HealthThe consequential use of ADES cookers leads to improved quality of air, especially indoors, and to less fire accidents. This, in turn, means less family illness and a lower mortality risk.